Depressed mode
by thin white duke of death
Summary: Gotham city is a wastland and a prision for anyone who lives there. Batman may have tried to kill joker, but now Joker wants Batman to do something else. Share a friend ship. No slash. Review!
1. Chapter 1

"Gotham city has been through many nights and days…suffering from villains and criminals, crime lords, and many other things. But this time…I do not think that Gotham will survive. Almost half of the not only the city, but the world's population disappeared and the government is baffled by this. All of the trade routes have been closed down due to a certain disease rapidly spreading through Gotham city. The inspectors say that it's highly contagious and is now air born; any food or supplies that are exposed can also carry the disease. The Government bordered the city and is now turning Gotham to a sealed off zone where no one can enter or exit. Thus bringing the city's economy down to a close. Not to mention the major food shortages around the city. Things are turning havoc and the city is falling apart. Gotham is now only a haven to the cruel and ruthless trying to survive in theses harsh climates. I bid you farewell Gotham and good luck…it's almost as if Gotham turned into one huge joke."

The televisions screen descended into a black and white snowy picture and eventually lost the will to keep playing the tape…and turned black. Facing the slumped figure ahead of it, the light of it once casted immediately followed the blackness and disappeared; blending the slumped figure into the shadows as well. Like a domino effect. The slumped figure slowly stood up and stared out the window, serving the rest of the room as a to block to shudder it from the gloomy skies. It was all a gag, always was…except now we don't think it's funny anymore


	2. Chapter 2

Any Tourist or traveler would have thought the roof would have been about to collapse because of how hard the hail was hitting the roof. The gothamites knew better. That's how it was in the summer. People would be fine in the bar. The drinks are perfectly mixed, the decor was very flashy, and over all it was a very nice bar. Let alone that the Penguin owned it. A once major crime lord now owned one of the most grand bar in the city. Laughter was filling the room, glass cups and wine glasses where clashing in honor of some silly celebration, until the two front doors busted open. Aside from the harsh wind and rain immediately pouring in the room, there was something much more frightening standing in the door way. He stepped in, and almost automatically people started to scream in terror. Some took photos; others ridiculously thought that the table would protect them so they hid under it. Then there were the ones who ran out, or simply continue on with their business hoping that he wouldn't kill them. The joker was here and everyone expected him to be meeting Penguin.

He strode away, wearing that unnatural smile while he made his way to the end of the room. A young girl was frozen and seemed to be paralyzed with fear. Unfortunately she was right in the pathway to Penguins office. Joker walked up to her and started to admire her. It was obvious she was scared, and Joker took off his hat and his smile widened.

"Boo."

She gasped and dropped the tray of wine and nearly knocked over anything that stood in her way while she dashed off into the rain. Then he erupted into hysterics and headed towards the elevator.

Once the elevator opened he was met with a guard three inches taller than him, and the size of one of those red oak trees that are so famous in California. Sunglasses, a neck tie, and a black classy suit. Typical. Joker was hoping he wouldn't give him a hard time. Of course he wouldn't mind that either because he was in the mood to kill anyway.

"Sorry sir, I can't let y-you come in here." His voice was shaky and nervous. Joker ignored him and pasted him anyway. The guard lifted up his elbow to strike Joker in the color bone, but was interrupted when Joker karate chopped him in the neck, causing him to fall over and grip his neck forcefully. Then Joker knocked on the oak wood door and stepped in.

"Knock Knock!" Penguin was in the middle of a phone call when he saw a purple figure from his side vision and knew immediately who he was.

"I'm sorry Kyle where going to have to talk later about that, I have a guest and If you don't mind I'll call you back as soon as I can. That's none of your concern. Yes it's very important I attend to this guest." Then his voice got slightly louder and was obvious he wanted to get off the phone. "Good bye Mr. Splick, Our business will have to wait. Good bye." Then put the phone the phone down into its holder. The door was still open and he could see that his guard was lying on the floor. "Did you have to kill him?" Joker looked behind himself and noted that he was still on the ground. "I didn't kill him; he's just in shock…besides… he got in my way." Penguin crossed his stubby arms and shook his head.

" So what brings you here to my study joker?"

"Oh just to talk is all. I'm going out. Tonight." Penguin stopped signing a check and looked up to him with distant eyes. Then Joker took out some playing cards. "Want to play some crazy eights?"

The cards were scattered across the table, and Penguin was enjoying his drunken self, and joker was laughing like a coot over how ridiculous Oswald looked when he was drunk. The laugh wasn't his usual hysteric. It was almost innocent, promising, all though you could still hear the tone of his madness.

"Remember when we really wanted to fly, and we were on some drug, and we met Mystery inc.?" Penguin had trouble not slurring his words.

"Acid, we were on acid. Yes, I unfortunately remember. You dressed up as a troll, and I dressed up a tree. "

Penguin laughed until he managed to cough out of giggles, "YES! We were so high, we were completely stoned. Remember the pink beach balls that the kid was throwing at us?"

"At the time I thought they where giant pieces of bubble gum." Joker erupted giggles, and penguin soon joined him. Then penguin again referred back to the memory.  
"Then when batman caught us, your face, he-tee-he Hahaha y-our face was….pfft HAHAHAHA. Joker you looked like you just saw a car crash or something because was like this." Penguin impersonated joker's face, which indicated a spaced out, idiotic look but smiling at the same time. Joker just giggled and shook his head and pointed his finger."Yeah, and what did you call me? Stupid companionship or some rubbish? I really wanted to say something, but I was too high to even process that entire night. Oh, but you know what was the funniest part of that entire night? When we chased those kids with the robotic bat! HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !" Penguin agreed only responding with joining the laughter. Then upruptively the joker stopped laughing and continued talking. "I can't wait until I see the bat tonight. Wait until he sees what plans I have stored for him." Penguin stopped laughing as well and held a serious expression on his face. "What? You're either still high, or your wishing to commit suicide! Haven't you heard the news? He's KILLING people. That's the one thing that he stood for, and now he's broke it."

"No, he hasn't-"

"YES, he has. Look. Scarecrow's dead, Riddler's dead, Two-face, just about everybody is Dead! The same will happen to you."

"He's not doing it, he's being mind controlled or something similar. I think Hatter is behind it, and if that's the case I'll be scheduling a little get together. RIP his lungs out. Then put a hat on it." Joker giggled while Penguin stood up.

"Joker. You will be no different, he will kill you! Even if he was mind controlled, You can't snap him out of it. I don't want to see your death on the next head line tomorrow. You got to listen to me. Don't do this…."

"Like my death wasn't on the headlines a few months ago! I've all ready made up my mind, Oswald. I'm going tonight; I've been away for too long in Arkham, and from the spotlight."

"You mean too long from Batman."

"That too."

"Then why did you come here to tell me that?" Joker gave him the most serious look penguin has ever seen him in, then he took out a needle and stood up. He walked over the portrait of a beautiful canvas and took it off the wall."What are you doing?" The safe was reveled and Joker turned the dial and it was soon unlocked. "JOKER!" Penguin started to walk towards him while joker put his arm back and suddenly elbowed Penguin in the color bone. He gasped and griped his shoulder desperately."Why You!" Joker glared at him and the next instant he was upon Oswald. "Don't let anything happen to these needles, don't touch them, don't look at them, don't even breath on them. Nothing. Got it?" Oswald's eyes where huge and dilated(either from the alcohol or the fear that over came him)As he nodded. Joker closed the safe and left.


	3. Chapter 3

He couldn't remember anything. Not even how he got there and why. All he knew was that he was the Batman. He _was_ the goddamn Batman. Now, he didn't know what he a Batman was for. Gotham. Or so he recalls, used to be an actual city. Now it's….a ghetto. Yeah, that's it! A ghetto. Why couldn't he remember? The buildings that once shined with purpose, now rots in the depths of the city.

He saw debris scattered along the roads, the sidewalks, the cars. An eerie smog of dusk engulfed the air he breathed. Out of pure curiosity, he walked over to one of the smaller alley ways, the ones where most criminal activity would occur. Why did he remember that? His steps echoed through the empty alley. The color red caught his eye. A person would think it would be a stop sign or something common. Not in this newer version of Gotham. No. Instead, you got to prepare your eyes for the absolute worst. No. Instead you see a body on a meat hook drooling rich fresh blood. Half massacred and half decaying off the bone. Well then…he never remembered that from the older Gotham.

As he took the time to be shocked and surprised, he heard a can drop to the floor. He turned around only to be met with an axe miss his head by centimeters. The axe came his way again, but this time Bruce was prepared for it. He grabbed the axe by its handle and tugged on it to make the man who was holding it reveal himself from the shadows. A huge 6'4 man emerged. He had dried blood on his clothes. Bruce hated cannibals.

He knocked him out relatively easy, it only took two punches straight in the face to do that. He heard a loud thud on the floor, and yet again something else caught his attention. An outline of a square. It was made to look like a panel of the sidewalk, but Bruce knew that out of experience that it was really a door. It doesn't hurt to look.

He went down with caution, hoping this could lead to some answers. As he descended down the stairs, he noted that the floor was covered in dust and dirt….and blood. Should he be afraid? Of course not he was the goddamn batman. Then the hallway ended and revealed a small computer light.

Batman entered the room and a dusky, toxic, smell fumed in his nostrils. He saw a large computer screen, covered in black soot. The place was literally trashed. He saw a giant rusty tragedy and comedy mask above the screen monitor. The room was decorated in such a way, who ever owned it was desperately trying to make it look homey. The owner was failing miserably.

Some walls where painted yellow, purple, orange, and blue. It reminded him  
of a person. One he knew. One he hated. But oddly, he couldn't remember his  
name. Then he heard a noise. Something moved.


	4. Chapter 4

Joker just stared blankly as Bruce regained his conciseness.

"What did you want here?" Joker suddenly asked

"Answers." Then Bruce head butted joker, causing him to trip over his hyena, crashing to the floor. Bruce had to get out of the restraints quick before joker got back up. So he worked his thumb out just barley to undo the leather buckle that held his wrist. To his surprise he was still on the floor, holding his head. While his hyena growled, but didn't dare to take a step closer. That's not normal. He doesn't know why or how but he knows this person, and he isn't acting like himself. The real Joker would of leaped up like a goddamn frog with his long thin legs and would of bashed his head in. In fact if you head butted him, it wouldn't give you the affect you needed to escape.

So Bruce continued and took advantage of the unusual behaviors of his arch enemy and successfully undid both locks. Then he jumped on to the joker and pinned him to the floor. His hyena made an attempt to bite Bruce's leg, but the owner punched her nose and warned her not to get involved. So she listened. Joker strained his eyes upon Bruce, while Bruce's eyes stared in confusion.

"Answers to what?"

"To what happened."

"Happened where, to whom? To what? You got to be clearer on what you want me to give you. If you're a cannibal, your just wasting your time. I wouldn't even last you a week….."

"No, I want answers."

"TO WHAT!" batman didn't understand the joker at all. _He knows what you mean; he wants to play his little stupid game just to get you all riled up._ Bruce listened to his self and started to pound his fist into joker's face. He didn't laugh, in fact, he scrunched his face in pain. Then he looked up to batman and Batman knew he was going to pull on of his stunts. He got out a joy buzzer, and electrocuted Batman to the point of his knees giving out and crashing to the floor. Joker used this chance to crawl away.

Then his hyena jumped onto Bruce, tearing the Kevlar that protects him, While Joker got out. "Damn." Bruce elbowed his pet, causing Musky to whimper and fall backward. He followed joker through a hallway. It was dark, and cold. Almost below freezing. As Bruce pondered around the Hallway, he couldn't stop to think of why it was so cold. Somewhere along the hallway Bruce lost him. Until he saw a large metal door, with locks ranging from chains to electric locks. So he proceeded, ready for a challenge. He reached for the door, and to his surprise, it wasn't locked. It opened wide open for him, revealing flasks of liquids and colors, minerals, elements, gas chambers. A chemistry room. Obviously he build it himself. The air in there was pure oxygen, not one speck of dusk laid around anywhere Bruce could see. It was quite impressive. The he turned around to see Joker with a needle in his hand and couldn't react to him jumping out suddenly ans pinning him to the wall. The fucker was always pretty fast. "You do not want me to inject you with this." Bruce smiled.

" Good, cause you won't." Bruce kicked joker in his knee, and he went down to the floor. Then he repeated. Kicking the hell out of Joker, mostly in his torso. Then he delivered his final kick, which sent Joker slamming into the metal table. He hit his head hard due to the back flash. So hard it was bleeding, and he wasn't moving. "Damn it…" Bruce ran up to him and checked the wound, it was bad. It was going to need stitches. Then glanced down to see the green eyes of joker pop open and feel the impact of joker's foot up his groin. After all these years, and he haven't learned that he had Kevlar in that area too? While holding on to his head, Joker was fast to get on his feet and scrunched against the wall, holing up one hand in defeat. " J-just tell me want you want answers to. I'll give them to you. Ju- just tell me what you would want to know…" He was panting hard and was losing the battle of keeping his conciseness.

Batman found this hard to believe. The joker….giving up? Yup, this was definitely a set up. Too good to be true." What are you up to Joker?"

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"What?"

" That's not my name…..nobody ever called me that…"

Bruce stared blankley at joker."Then what your name.?" Eager to finally learn SOMETHING about his arch enemy. Joker's head cocked on it's left side, his eyes filled with complete hesitance. "I don't know….."


End file.
